the power of the voice

Voices are powerful when they are allowed to be, and a loss of voice can be a loss of power. Janie looses her voice constantly throughout the first four chapters in Zora Neale Hurston's Their eyes were watching God. at the beginning of the book Janie looses her voice with her Grandmother, lacking the ability to stand up for herself in her upcoming marriage. "'you answer me when Ah speak. Don't you set dere poutin' wid me after all Ah done went through for you!" (Hurston 14). Janie doesn't have the voice to speak up for herself or even answer her grandmother. She doesn't have a voice to respond to the gossipers or stand up against their gossiping words. "they scrambled a noisy 'good evenin' ' and left their mouths setting open and their ears full of hope"(Hurston 2). Janie doesn't use her voice to stand up against the gossipers hopeful ears, wanting to hear about all her bad news. Her lack of voice is so prevalent that she even looses it around her best friend, Jody. "Janie at heartily and said nothing. Janie doesn't use her voice until she is given it by someone else, not using it when she may need to, or when she doesn't want to. her voice is controlled by the will of others, not her own will.

Her husbands also silence her voice and control it to suit their will. '"Ah wants to make a wife outa you'" (Hurston 29). He doesn't giver her the option of saying yes or no, he just states what he wants without giving her the option to say yes or no. taking her way her voice. Her first husband doesn't want her to speak when he hears things he doesn't want to hear "'Ah'm gettin' sleepy, Jainie. Let's don't talk no mo'.'"(Hurston 30). He shuuts off her voice when he hears her complaints about the marriage. When he hears things he doesn't want to hear he refused to hear them, making Janie's voice silenced and be take her power. Jannie completely looses her voice and s silent around her husband and his wishes. "Jannie turned from the door without answering, and stood still in the middle of the floor without knowing it. she turned wrongside out just standing there and feeling."(Hurston 32). Her voice is taken so she has no choice but to just feel what she's feeling without having a voice to express her feelings.

did the 20's roar for everyone?

Feminism has been growing and changing the world for women through all of American History. The 1920's too a radical step forward in granting women the right to vote. Women started to break out of expected gender norms, work, and involve themselves in the political world. Women's rolls grew outstandingly during the 1920's bringing us one step closer to the freedom they experience today. However, while the 1920's brought radical change to the lives of women, their lives were still controlled by gender norms and expectations controlling every aspect of their lives socially and politically.

Though women legally got the right to vote in the 1920's there was still a lot of discrimination towards women and they were still controlled by gender norms. Women in the 1920's were expected to have getting married and having kids as their top priorities. The 1920's pushed these expectations with flapper girls and vamps, but this was the more radical group of women, where as most were expected to want to get married and have kids. Schooling past high school wasn't something expected of the women of the 1920's and the few who did go often went to a women's school. Schooling wasn't seen as necessary for women, they were also seen as less smart and intellectual. Some schools had allowed women to study, but made it very clear the women were not wanted or welcome. The work force, though existing, wasn't very broad for women who were expected only to be teachers, nurses, or other jobs considered 'suitable for women'. These jobs were not expected to be held if her husband had a well paying job, if their husband was well off staying at home and preforming wifely duties was the norm.

The right to vote, though legally accessible, wasn't practiced in reality among all women. Any woman without the privilege of being rich and white didn't get the privilege of having a voice in privilege. Though it was legal, social norms and constructs made it difficult for working class women to be able to vote, as well as people with color. Black women suffered the same hardships in the south preventing voting under Jim Crow laws and the very large and influential KKK. Women, though seen as more independent than anytime previous, were still expected to marry into a good life and depend on her husband for money and politics. The political and economical world, while legally available, still wasn't as accessible or expected.

The 1920's wasn't roaring for everyone, and though it roared fr some women, it didn't roar for all. Women still suffered discrimination in their schooling, the workforce, and the political world, as those places were still expected to be a man's place. Women gained the right to vote, but not the freedom from gender norms and expectations. Women still had a long way to go before they can reach full equality.

works cited
http://ncpedia.org/history/20th-Century/1920s-women
http://www.arenastage.org/shows-tickets/sub-text/2009-10-season/sophisticated-ladies/sophisticated-ladies.shtml
http://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties

the roaring 20's

There is a lot of organized crime in this picture. The picture is busy and doesn't have anything you immediately focus on. it draws your eye more in a circle around the table, making the viewer scan the number of people drinking alcohol and involving themselves in illegal activities. The crime in this picture is rampant, nearly every person is drinking alcohol. The picture shows how normalized it is to be drinking in the 1920's, even though there is prohibition and alcohol is illegal. The picture also emphasizes the glamour of drinking in the 1920's. because it was so expensive, due to being illegal, only the wealthy could drink alcohol creating a glamorous feel to breaking the law and it brought along an uprising of organized crime and glorification of it. 

Though the 1920's are portrayed as glamorous and roaring, it didn't roar for the minority. The minority classes were excluded in aspect of life, jobs, restaurants, living spaces. This picture draws a divide between the life white people get to live and the lives minorities live. The fence is symbolic of this divide, as it divides the black man from a job. At first the picture looks normal, like someone looking at a help wanted sign, but then the eye is drawn to the racial discrimination and the fact that theirs a person who has to live on the other side of the divide. 

Culture boomed in the 1920's with new music and art. Jazz music became incredibly popular at time. Because it stemmed from the black culture it created a feeling of pride among the black communities. Jazz tied the culture of the 1920's together, and it became the music of the era. Jazz brought the nation together and broke down barriers between black and white. The picture emphasizes black pride. The eye is first drawn to the drum in the center advertising themselves. The advertising itself shows black pride in their knowledge of being good enough to be advertised. The people are posed in fun, jazzy poses, as if ready for a fun night out. The suits show class and elevation in who they are as people. 

majority rule

The U.S. democracy depends on a system of Laws in which the Majority always rule. The philosophy is that if not everyone, at least the majority of people will be satisfied with the laws and justice system. However This set of laws can leave the minority in a powerless situation completely without a voice. A majority rule isn't always a just rule and the minority are those who suffer. Thoreau Supports this message in Civil Disobedience. The Majority rule is not always a just rule. Thoreau argues that the majority are in power simply through physical strength. “a majority are permitted, and for a long period continue, to rule is not because they are most likely to be in the right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are physically the strongest” (26-29). A majority isn’t necessarily just, and it rules on strength alone. Conscious cannot be based on physical strength, and therefore Majorities are not always conscious. “Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?” (31-33). Majorities decide all of right and wrong, and conscious, leaving no room for the minorities.

Minorities get overshadowed and over looked in a system in which the majorities rule, and Majorities aren’t always just, leaving the minorities to suffer.

Lies

Secrets are kept by everyone. Lies are used to perpetrate them. Lies can keep one safe. Because of this lies must be protected. Throughout the ages, people have protected their lies. As is clearly demonstrated in the crucible. Paris must protect the lie that the church is just. After the Salem Witch trials and many had already hanged, Paris feels obligated to continue to hang people because it would be unfair to those already dead. H'es also afraid that people will see this as an act of weakness, and they will find the church to be the unjust system it is. "... for if he even bring one of those to god- that confession surely damns the others in the public eye, and non may doubt that they are linked to hell..."(Paris, Act 4, 232). He needs to protect the lie that the church is still strong and upstanding when its not. He doesn't want its justification to be questioned by the public.

This tradition of lies carried over into the 1950's with McCarthyism. McCarthy lied all about people being communists. He protected this lie to keep his power, his reputation and keep his career. “He denied requests to see the documents by claiming that they were secret documents given to him by his net work of informants” (Great fear 205). He's protecting the lie that there is no evidence of the so called "names" to be communists, and that there is no list of names. Just like Paris from the crucible, McCarthy protected the lie to keep his system strong and upstanding. If people found out his system would be teared down, but if the lie stays protected he keeps his power.

Even today lies are still being protected constantly. The US government protects lies about terrorists. The government lies about terrorists attacks keep the power of the government. It gives a reason to tap into phone calls giving the government lots of power. "The NSA's deputy director, wrote that the agency has 'contributed to keeping the U.S. and it's allies safe from 54 terrorist plots."... Asked for clarification of the surveillance programs' record, the NSA declined to comment." (1. Claim on Attacks thwarted.). The decline to give evidence is an abuse of power, used to benefit the government. They use this to create an enemy, to manipulate the American people. Protecting the lie keeps the government in the power it wants to be in. The lie perpetrates to prevent being taken down by the American people. And this perpetrates the lie that terrorists are an extreme threat to American lives. Lies are protected throughout history and they will continue to. Because keeping a secret can be the key to safety and power.

scapegoating through the ages

Throughout time, Politicians, and people in power have been scapegoating and lying about people. With the purpose to create an enemy and benefit themselves. This has happened from as far back as the Puritan times, as The Crucible represents. people in power, church members. These people in Power create an enemy, witches, to promote fear and keep citizens in line. "-and there was goody good...and goody Osburn... I saw Sarah good with the devil! I saw goody osburn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the devil!... I saw george Jacobs with the Devil! I saw goody Howe with the devil!... I saw Martha Bellows with the devil.. I saw Goody Sibber with the devil!..." (Crucible act 3, iii). Various people scapegoated these people as witches. Claiming that they were working with the devil because they were the lower of society. People were ok with having them be the witches and condemned. Condemning these people as witches keeps the people in power by creating the common enemy of these people. The creation of an enemy keeps citizens in line and keep a society in which the people in power stay in power. hundreds of years later this occurs again, as McCarthyism represents in the 1950's. McCarthy spreads a fear of communism and scapegoats people to benefit himself and keep his power.
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Scapegoating to keep power exists in many time periods, including modern day America. Its easy to point fingers at the past and other cultures but it exists just as much in the present day. America scapegoats the Muslim people. This scapegoat gave a excuse to listen into phone calls in prevention of terrorism. violating the privacy of people. "The NSA's deputy director, wrote that the agency has 'contributed to keeping the U.S. and it's allies safe from 54 terrorist plots."... Asked for clarification of the surveillance programs' record, the NSA declined to comment." (1. Claim on Attacks thwarted.). The decline to give evidence is an abuse of power, used to benefit the government. They use this to create an enemy, to manipulate the American people. scapegoating and lying about people, creating enemies is a tactic used through time. Used to benefit those in power, and possibly hider those without power.


Throughout the centuries humans have experienced mass fear, and developed methods to eradicate it. From as early as the puritan times people had a mass fear of something. And took extreme methods to destroy it, with published works to help with this goal. As noted in the crucible "Paris: Mr. Hale! Oh! its good to see you again! (taking some books) my they're heavy!/ Hale: they must be; they are weighted with authority./ Paris: Well you do come prepared!" (1, iii. Crucible). Mr. Hale's books are the books written on how to spot a witch. Witched were the evil of the time, and there were books written on how to spot one and get rid of them. This is to calm the fear people had of witched at the time. Once again in the 1950's there was a great fear, this time of communism. They created methods to get rid of the Communists.
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This trend continues all the way through into Modern society. Modern day America has a huge fear of terrorists. To relieve this fear and create the feeling of safety, America takes drastic measures to prevent it. "Terrorism is not only a very real threat abroad, but also right here at home. Anyone can become a victim of terrorism." (Recognizing 8 signs of terrorism). This video is itself a source of how to protect oneself from the threats of terrorism. There is such a great fear of terrorism that there are whole organizations with the purpose to prevent it. Drastic measures exist in daily lives. With security in every government building and airplanes. Just to prevent the possibility of a terrorist. With mass fear humans have created many methods to eradicate to source of the fear. People have done this through time.

The fear generator

The whole body dissolves into shakes, sweat pours and the heart in a beat beat beat. Danger is near. Maybe a lion is chasing after you and is directly threatening you're life. However, this isn't very likely in modern society. Chances are there is no lion threatening to kill, but the threat is still present. The threat is the generator of the fear. There are an uncountable number of sources of fear in present day. Fear is still woven into the very fabric of humanity. because of this, however, when fear is controlled, humanity is controlled. The tactic of fear is widely used to control throughout our society. Politically it's everywhere. Politicians will and have manipulated fear to get things done that they want done. When George W. Bush was president he created a fear of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In the desire to invade the country for various reasons, he instilled a fear in the American peoples hearts of the Iraqi people. Instilling this fear makes the issue personal. It gives it the illusion of being real. because "Maybe The Iraqi people will bomb us. what if they bomb me?". It is turned into a direct threat on a life, and that life will react as so he or she doesn't die. This fear is still very real in the American people's minds. The American people have a huge fear of Muslim people, in a fear of terrorism. This fear is then manipulated and brought to the extreme by the government to justify warring with Muslim countries, and keeping power and unity with a common enemy. Manipulating this fear can be argued to be for good or bad. but creating a threat created the fear necessary to get the job done.



It was felt before she even walked into the room. Something was up, and the class knew it. The tension could be felt in her voice when she spoke. Fear swept through the class. And t grew as the situation grew more intense. Fear is not incredibly difficult to create. and as it is such a powerful emotion its easy to be used to manipulate people and situations. In this situation Fear manipulation was used to scare the class enough to never plagiarize. it scared the class into giving away other names. it was used for the benefit of the teacher. However these were actually a social experiment. and it was used to manipulate fear, create fear to make a point. Schools create fear to keep students in order. Create consequences for students to be afraid of. The extremity is the only thing debated. Many would argue that this simulated experience is one of too much extremity. However extreme direct fear is constantly in play. Media manipulates fear in people to uphold social standards. The fear of not fitting in is played strongly. It plays in people's natural survival need. as natural social creatures the need to be accepted. Without it all means of survival are gone. The media plays into this fear all the time, creating social standards to make money off of them. They create standards of beauty and intelligence to manipulate people doing everything they can to fit those standards created to be accepted. The fear of not being accepted plays into other places through the daily life of our society. The fear of sharing work with people is constant with the fear of it being rejected. For example having a piece of writing critiqued in front of a class can manipulate a fear of being rejected and can possibly produce a better piece of writing. Fear is everywhere in the modern social structure, and its easy to grasp it and manipulate it for the benefit of a cause.